Week 150 (18-24/04/2022)
Picture: Two bomb blasts at a Shia school in Kabul, Afghanistan have killed (19/04) at least six people and injured 11. Wakil Koshar/AFP via Getty Images
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Israel recommended its citizens to not go to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in November (19/04). It is reported that almost 15,000 Israelis have purchased tickets for the biggest football tournament. However, the Israeli government is worried that they could be an easy target for Iran or its proxies in Qatar. Moreover, Israel and Qatar have no formal diplomatic relations.
Mirroring the United Kingdom (UK)’s move, Denmark is lobbying Rwanda for mechanism of asylum seekers transfer (20/04). If achieved, the deal would make Denmark the first European Union (EU) member to bypass the bloc’s policies, which rule that relocating asylum seekers and refugees outside Europe is “not possible”. Despite criticism from human rights activists and groups, Danish Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye said the deal aimed to “ensure a more dignified approach than the criminal network of human traffickers that characterizes migration across the Mediterranean today”.
Kenya will be the first country in Africa to host a Google product development center (20/04). The tech giant company will base its center in Nairobi and hire more than 100 tech experts. In 2019, Google opened its first African artificial intelligence center in Accra, Ghana.
Conflicts between Israel and Palestine deteriorate (21/04). For the second time this week, Israel carried out air raids in the central Gaza Strip and damaged several houses in the al-Bureij refugee camp. Prior to the air raids, five rockets were fired from Gaza to Israel, but only one hit the target as the rest were intercepted by Israeli air defense systems.
ASIA
Two bomb blasts at a Shia school in Kabul, Afghanistan have killed (19/04) at least six people and injured 11. According to the police, the blasts were caused by improvised explosive devices. No group claimed responsibility, but the school is located in an area inhabited mainly by the Hazara community, which has been previously targeted by the Islamic State (IS).
Six people, including two women and two children, were killed as some 528 Rohingya refugees fled (20/04) a temporary immigration detention center in northern state of Penang, Malaysia. The victims were struck by fast-moving vehicles as they tried to cross nearby highway at about 06:50 am (22:50 GMT on Tuesday). The refugees escaped after a riot in the compound, breaking through barriers and a door.
Reported in Aljazeera (22/04), India and the United Kingdom (UK) have agreed to expand defense and business cooperation. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated a bilateral free-trade deal could be wrapped up by October this year. Meanwhile, the two countries also agreed to step up defense and security partnership, one of which by supporting India’s push for domestic manufacturing.
The Nippon Sei Ko Kei (NSKK), the Anglican Communion in Japan, is set (23/04) to ordain the first female bishop in East Asia. Her name is Maria Grace Tazu Sasamori, elected to her new role in November 2021, at the 80th Synod of the Diocese of Hokkaido. Sasamori is only the second female bishop in Asia, and the first in Japan and East Asia.
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern challenged the security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China (21/04). Under the pact, China is allowed to “make ship visits to, carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands”. This sparked concern among Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (US) that China will establish a military base within 2,000 kilometers of Australia’s east coast. Ardern said her country and Australia had helped the Solomon Islands during recent disruption and offered to extend their support if needed. Thus, she asked, “What gap remains that requires such an agreement with China?”
Shoppers in New Zealand are ordering groceries from Australia due to inflation (21/04). One shopper explained that she could save almost NZD 70 on a NZD 267 shop by ordering groceries from an Australia-based multinational that delivered to New Zealand, whilst other could save about 35% of her groceries. However, shoppers are also concerned about the increased carbon footprint that comes with ordering groceries overseas.
A final count showed José Ramos-Horta had secured 62% of vote, making him the next East Timor’s president (21/04). Ramos-Horta, an independence leader and Nobel laureate, was the country’s president from 2007 to 2012. He also held the prime minister position from 2006 to 2007. Together with incumbent Francisco “Lu Olo” Guterres, Ramos-Horta was part of East Timor’s resistance against Indonesian occupation. Ramos-Horta will be sworn into office on May 20.
US President Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific coordinator, Kurt Campbell, led US officials to meet the government of the Solomon Islands in Honiara amid Solomon Islands-China security agreement (22/04). The agreement raised an alarm for Australia, New Zealand, and the US as China might establish a military base in the Pacific. In addition to discussing the security pact, Campbell’s delegation also discussed about opening a US embassy in Honiara.
EUROPE
Despite leading in voting intention polls on Tuesday (19/04), Emmanuel Macron is still not guaranteed to win the French presidential election on Sunday (24/04). France’s Prime Minister Jean Castex said it was too early to claim victory, especially with far-right challenger Marine Le Pen accused Macron and his allies of fear-mongering. Meanwhile, the country’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire warned that Le Pen’s victory would mean “the end of French sovereignty, an alliance with Putin, a lack of [the North Atlantic Treaty Organization] NATO protection, and severed ties with Germany”.
A new poll showed that 51% of Swedes are in favor of joining NATO (21/04). Sweden built its security policy on neutrality and military non-alliance, and its ruling party, Social Democrats, has historically opposed joining NATO. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked public support to join the military alliance. Neighboring Finland is also considering to submit a bid to join NATO.
Russia claimed that it had performed the first successful test of nuclear-capable missile (21/04). The missile, a fifth-generation Sarmat missile known in the West as Satan II, weighed over 200 tons and has a range of 11,000 kilometers. Fired from the Plesetsk launch facility in the country’s north, the missile hit a mock target in the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, more than 5,000 kilometers away.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced that his country has banned Russian civilian and military planes from flying to Syria via Turkish airspace (23/04). The ban will be in place for three months. Russia has yet to comment on the move.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Pivot Airlines from Canada has warned against traveling to the Dominican Republic after its crew members were detained on drug charges in early April. The airline said that there are threats to the safety of their members from both inside and outside the jail. The crew members have been released on bail on Friday (23/04) but must remain in the country.
Foreign Minister of Turkey, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, will visit Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela starting Friday (23/04). Çavuşoğlu will discuss bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues with those countries. Çavuşoğlu is also scheduled to attend high-level meetings with Brazil and Venezuela, respectively.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said that two-thirds of people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated per Wednesday (20/04). PAHO’s Revolving Fund has delivered more than 141 million doses of vaccines in partnership with COVAX and donors. However, PAHO noted that several countries continue to lag, such as Haiti, Jamaica, Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Guatemala, Guyana, and Paraguay.
US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, visited Panama on Wednesday (20/04). The purpose of the visit is to prepare the groundwork for a strong agreement between the leaders of the Summit of the Americas, set to be held in California in June. Secretary Blinken expected to support from South American countries on the migration pact.
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
The US believes that Canada will modernize its Arctic defense. On Saturday (23/04), Ambassador David Cohen said he has held informal discussions with Canadian officials who agree that modernization would be a national priority. The modernization will hopefully fend off the interest from both Russia and China.
The US announced new entry requirements for travelers from land and ferry terminals on Thursday (21/04). Non-US travelers entering the US should provide their vaccination status. However, the US authorities decided that COVID-19 testing is no longer required for travelers. This policy will affect travelers from Canada and Mexico.
Canada also announced its new entry requirements. The government said on Friday (22/04) that children who are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian will no longer be tested on pre-departure. However, the test will still be required for partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travelers.
Canada’s border agency has received over 163,747 applications from Ukrainian refugees per Tuesday (19/04). The refugees had to wait for six weeks before they know the result of their applications. The agency has since approved over 56,633, many of which are families fleeing the war.